Are you ERGing like the Ancient Greeks?

Summer is in full swing! Are you using that ERG you rented for the summer!?

Here is some fun rowing information I found. Perhaps the earliest ERGs! You may have something in common with the Ancient Greeks – the earliest ERG training?

How old are rowing machines? They have a surprisingly ancient history! The earliest example we’ve found is from the height of Classical Greek civilization about 2500 years ago. Back then, Athens and Sparta were frequently at war. Their soldiers headed to battle in ships powered by hundreds of rowers each.

It seems that rowing machines helped the Athenians – and their version of democracy – triumph. Led by an admiral named Chabrias, the Athenian military trained on shore with wooden rowing machines. These machines let beginners master the rowing technique before joining a crew on the sea. At the same time, the warriors developed incredible head-to-toe muscular strength and endurance.